All Seated in a Barn

All Seated in a Barn is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to rescuing equines of all kinds—horses, donkeys, draft horses, minis, mules, and even zebras—from kill pens and auctions where they’re at risk of shipping to slaughter and becoming compromised due to horrible living conditions. 

While it’s illegal to slaughter horses in the U.S., it is still completely legal to ship them out of the country for slaughter. Every year, approximately 2% of the U.S. horse population is slaughtered, despite domestic slaughterhouses closing in 2007. That number hasn’t changed—and the pipeline hasn’t slowed. Instead, horses are being loaded onto trucks and sent to Mexico and Canada, where slaughter remains legal. From there, the meat is exported to parts of Europe and Asia for human consumption.

But horses in the U.S. are not raised for food. They’re given powerful medications, steroids, vaccines, and dewormers—substances that make their meat unsafe for human consumption. There’s no regulation, no tracking system, and no accountability. And still, this continues every single week.

That’s where we step in.

At All Seated in a Barn, we intercept horses before they cross the border. We bail them, vet them, rehabilitate them, and find them safe, loving homes. But what started as a mission to rescue horses has grown into something even more meaningful: a space for healing—on both sides of the fence.

These animals—discarded, broken, forgotten—have a way of reaching people in ways nothing else can. We’ve watched them bring peace to veterans, strength to women in recovery, comfort to at-risk youth, and light to those navigating trauma or grief. We didn’t set out to create a place for people to heal… but that’s what happened. And now, it’s a part of our mission, too.

We are proud to be partnered and have partnered with local programs that include:

Cameron Youth Home for Boys

GREAT Emotional Wellness Program

Veterans

Women in Sober Living

Girl Scouts

Local Retirement Homes

Kern County School Districts

Kern County Home Schooling Network

Kern Canine Therapy Dogs

Path Point

Kern County Sheriffs Cadet Program

Kern County Mounted Police

Marley Mutts Therapy Dog Program

Rescue is just the beginning. What happens next—the healing, the learning, the connection—that’s the part we never expected, but will never stop fighting for.

Who We Are

All Seated in a Barn is a 501(c)3 non profit with the focus being on rescuing horses, donkeys, draft horses, mini horses, mules, and even zebras, ALL equines, from the kill pens that ship to slaughter. It is illegal to slaughter horses in the United States, BUT, it is not illegal to ship for slaughter. Horse slaughter is very real. Approximately 2% of the United States equine population is slaughtered each year. That number has NOT changed since horse slaughter in this country ended with the closure of the last slaughter house in 2007. Due to the fact that they closed here, does not mean they are closed outside of the United States, with Mexico and Canada being our two closes neighbors who DO slaughter horses.

Also important to note is that most of the horse meat is exported to countries in Europe and Asia for human consumption. This is important to factor because horses are raised in the United States as pets and companion animals and are given steroids, , numerous vaccinations, strong medications and other potent chemicals that are not safe for humans to eat. Unlike cows, pigs, etc., horse meat is not regulated in any way shape, or form. Educating our community on this matter is very important to us.

However, at All Seated in a Barn, we are not JUST a horse rescue. Yes, we are taking in these horses, rehabilitating them, and then finding them suitable homes. However, in the process of doing this, something amazing is happening.. the horses are healing those who are interacting with them. This was not something we started out focusing on, but through watching miracles happen within and to our volunteers and guests to the rescue, it has become a secondary mission for us. We ARE making a difference, not just in the horses lives, or in educating, but in the lives of those who are interacting with our animals. It is a beautiful circle of healing.

Currently, we are blessed to be able to be working in partnership with the following, local, community programs:
Cameron Youth Home for Boys
GREAT emotional wellness program
Veterans
Women in Sober Living
Girl Scouts
Retirement Homes
School Districts
Kern Canine Therapy Dogs
Watch Them Rise | a program for at risk girls
Marley's Mutts Miracle Mutts Therapy Dog Program